Information
This page has links to a collection of publications and information about NSW legislation and this website, including factsheets and other legislative resources.
Parliamentary Counsel's Office (NSW drafting agency)
PCO Standard
The PCO Standard is a guide to legislative drafting in NSW, acting as both a style guide and a manual for drafters and editors. The objective of the document is to provide a collective base for legislative drafting resources in the office, ensure a consistent style is implemented by PCO for the NSW statute book and offer insight into PCO’s approach to drafting.
Version 1 of the PCO Standard was launched on 9 May 2023 to coincide with the opening of the 58th Parliament and can be downloaded here (1.9MB).
Particular legislation
Unofficial legislation
Publishing information
- Information for councils—LEPs where Council is the local plan-making authority (applicable from 3 May 2021)
- Miscellaneous statutory instruments—publishing requirements
- Notification—instruments drafted by PCO, including LEPs
- Notification—instruments not drafted by PCO
- NSW Government Gazette
How to read legislation
How to read a NSW Act
- What is a NSW Act?
- Types of NSW Acts
- Features common to all NSW Acts
- Structure of principal Acts
- Structure of amending Acts
- Aids to interpreting Acts
- Key to abbreviations
Guide to interpreting NSW legislation
How legislation is made
- Who writes NSW legislation?
- Types of NSW legislation
- Acts of Parliament
- Subordinate legislation
- Environmental planning instruments
Manual for Non-Government Drafting
The PCO Manual for Non-Government Drafting (2023) contains the Premier's authorisation to the NSW Parliamentary Counsel for the drafting of legislation for non-Government members of Parliament and sets out procedures for how the drafting is to be undertaken.
The 2023 version of Manual, reissued at the start of the 58th
Parliament, can be downloaded
here.
Standard instrument local environmental plans
Accessing legislation
Last updated 14 July 2023 at 10:20